26 ORCHARD GRASS, 



mer in a drought when everything else is parched 

 or burnt up. 



In the Norfolk Agriculturist it is stated that Sir 

 M. Martin, observing by an experiment, that this 

 grass grew four inches in less than three days, deter- 

 mined to attend more particularly to it, he remarked 

 that when sheep were let out of a fold they ran over 

 every thing to get at a baulk that was full of it, and 

 there ate it in preference to other grasses; on an ex- 

 amination of the roots, they were perceived to be so* 

 strong that some suspicion was entertained that they 

 might exhaust the soil, and the land was therefore 

 sown for a trial. The results were quite satisfactory 

 that all apprehensions of the kind were ill founded. 



The late Judge Peters, of Pennsylvania, one of the 

 most distinguished agriculturists of his time , said of 

 the Orchard grass, in 1817, "I know its value, having 

 constantly sown it for a period of 40 years. All 

 beasts are fond of it, both as pasture and hay; it is 

 permanent, whilst clover is short lived; it grows in 

 the shade luxuriantly, hence it is called Orchard 

 grass; any soil is suitable if not wet. The Orchard 

 grass should be cut for hay when the panicles are 

 fairly formed, and this is the time the clover begins 

 to turn. For seeds it must be ripe, but some let it 

 stand too long for that purpose. It is best to raise a 

 spot purposely for seed, whereof it furnishes great 

 plenty." 



The Rural Advertiser says of it, "Many of our 

 best farmers who feed all their hay, and do not de- 

 pend on selling it, value a mixture of Orchard grass 

 and red clover more than any other grasses. It 

 makes a highly nutritious hay and is much relished by 

 stock of all kinds. Clover hay, (so called) that is hay 



